Japan eSIMs + Japan SIM Card [Mobile Data & Internet for Japan]

On our first visit to Japan in 2014 we relied on WiFi in hotels and hostels.  Today, in 2024, it’s just so easy to get hold of mobile data that there’s no need to rely on that anymore.  Whether your device is eSIM enabled or not, it’s very easy to get a physical SIM card or an eSIM and maximize your time in Japan.  You’ll be able to get online as soon as you get off the plane, or ferry.  You cab check the next train times, plan your walking route easily and quickly, and make changes to your travel on the fly.  As well, of course, as sharing photos and videos of your amazing trip with friends and family.  In this guide to getting online in Japan, I’ll cover eSIMs for Japan, physical SIM cards for Japan, and the WiFi connection you’re likely to have in hotels and accommodations.

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Everywhere we’ve ever stayed in Japan has free WiFi.  And they’ve all been a good stable and fast connection, aside from one spot down in the greater Ryukyu Islands.  We’ve had WiFi on trains and WiFi on ferries.  Even so, getting hold of a local SIM card makes life a whole lot easier.  It means you can get online as soon as you get off the plane/train/ferry.  Walking directions are SO much easier when you have a real-time connection. 

TLDR: The easiest option for getting online and staying online in Japan is an eSIM > we use and recommend Airalo.

Options for Internet Access in Japan

You’ve got a lot of options when it comes to mobile internet access on your trip to Japan and I’ll touch on the high-level options first, then dig into more detail.

1. You can buy an international data pack from your regular cell phone provider.  The cost of this is going to depend on who you’re with and what you pay. 
2. You can rent a pocket WiFi device.  They’re usually picked up at either the Airport on arrival or delivered to your hotel.  You get internet access (mobile data) with these but no voice calls.  The devices create a mobile WiFi hotspot and you connect your phones and laptops to it.  You’ll need to remember to charge it each night AND to hand it in / mail it when you’re done – and this is ALL BEFORE airport security. 
3. Buy a physical SIM card – you can buy them in Japan, prebook and prepay for them for delivery to your home address, or collect at set locations in Japan- these can be airport arrivals, ferry port arrivals, and – like us on one trip – at a Tourist Information Center!
4. If your device is eSIM enabled then buy an eSIMpackage.  They’re the most convenient of all – your device is enabled for mobile internet access as soon as you arrive in the country.  No lining up for devices, or remembering to drop it off.  And if you need more data than you originally bought, simply log into the app and purchase what you need.  Easy.

WiFi in Japan

WiFi access at hotels and in accommodations in Japan is ubiquitous these days. And the speed is usually fast and it’s reliable.  You’ll also find WiFi on trains (see what else you get on trains in my guide to Japanese trains and the JR Pass here).  We’ve taken the ferry from Okinawa to Amami Island and had WiFi all the way (slow, but there), and also WiFi virtually all the way to Korea on the Japan to Korea Ferry too!

WiFi Access at Airports in Japan

Free WiFi access is generally available at airports in Japan.  You’ll need to register with basic details, but it’s free and easy.

WiFi Access on Ferries in Japan

While we’ve had WiFi access on ferries in Japan, including the ferry from Okinawa to Amima Island (and from there on up to Kagoshima) although there wasn’t WiFi access in the ferry terminals.  And that makes it pretty tough to translate what all the issues are when your ferry is canceled (for “at least 3 days” because of impending bad weather approaching the islands).  (You live, you learn and you buy a local SIM card…)

WiFi in Hotels, Ryokans, and Accommodation in Japan

Every hotel we’ve stayed at in Japan has had WiFi.  The apartment we rented in Okinawa had superb fast WiFi.  The first ryokan we stayed at in Japan, in Kinosaki Onsen town, way back in 2014 did not have WiFi.  (it does now).  And the Ryokans that we’ve stayed at in Kusatsu Onsen and the Furofushi Ryokan Onsen Hotel all have WiFi.  While ryokans are traditional Japanese lodging houses (my guide on what to expect in a ryokan is here), they do, in 2024 have – in the main, have WiFi.

Why Get a SIM Card for Japan

This isn’t our first rodeo as they say.  And both of us have traveled for many years with just a dog-eared Lonely Planet guide for guidance.  But times have changed, and while we love getting off the beaten track, we also choose to have the ability to be online if and when we want.  Having our own mobile internet means that we can figure things out on the fly, translate if we’re stuck, and be contactable for family back home.

If you’re renting a car in Japan, then you’ll benefit from the mobile data access to use Google Maps or the Navitime app to navigate your way around. Read my guide to car rental in Japan here.

We’ve also learned through painfully slow WiFi connections (not thankfully in Japan), that it’s best to have a backup. 

Where to Buy a SIM Card for Japan

You’ve got the usual options when it comes to buying a SIM Card in Japan.  I’ll start with the most convenient – an eSIM for Japan.

Buy an eSIM for Japan

If you have a phone that can accept eSIMs, then buying an eSIM is the simplest, easiest, and QUICKEST way to get mobile data for Japan.  It works the minute you get off the plane, you’ve paid for it and registered it BEFORE you land at whichever of Japan’s airports you’re arriving at.  We landed most recently in Okinawa and were able to get online as soon as we fired up our connection.

If you don’t want to spend time at the airport, or even the city buying a physical sim, then this is the best option for mobile data in Japan.

Prebook and Prepay for a Physical SIM Card at Arrivals in Japan

It’s seriously easy to get yourself a physical SIM card for Japan.  You can buy one on Amazon here, you can prebook one to collect at an airport (or some ferry ports) in Japan.  And of course, you have options as to where you can prebook (and prepay for them). 

Buy a Japan SIM Card at Airport Arrivals

All the mobile providers in Japan offer some form of airport pick-up.  You’ll find options to buy them at Narita or Haneda Airport, as well as Fukuoka, Kansai, Nagoya, and Sendai airports.  You can also buy some SIM cards at electronics stores as well. The major brands that you’d want to head to are  Bic Camera and Yodobashi Camera. These major stores will (most likely) have English speakers as do the Tokyo Airports.  However, as with everything at airports, you will usually pay more at an airport than if you prebook.

Final Words on Getting a SIM Card for Japan

The sheer convenience of being able to connect, and not having to wait until we get to a hotel or apartment, means that we’re rarely offline while we’re traveling these days.  Aside from the times when we choose to be of course!  Whether you’re spending time in the cities or seeing the countryside, there are some great packages available for connecting to the internet on the move in Japan. There are physical SIM cards available for mobile data in Japan and also eSIMs too.

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